About Us

State House Steps

Who We Are:

Raise Up Massachusetts is a grassroots coalition of community organizations, religious groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that works for all of us. An economy that invests in families, gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, and creates broadly shared prosperity.

We are united to ensure Massachusetts continues to be a great place to live, work, and raise a family. We reject efforts to divide our communities and scapegoat the most vulnerable among us. Whether motivated by our democratic values or our religious faith or both, we recognize that our fates are connected, we are one community, and we all do better when we all do better.

We work to pass laws, through the Legislature or at the ballot box, that support working families with jobs that pay a living wage and policies that allow them to balance work and family. To support important investments in our people and communities, we believe everyone should be asked to pay their fair share.

Our Agenda:

We’re focused on three issues of critical importance to working families in Massachusetts:

Paid Family and Medical Leave will ensure that Massachusetts workers are not forced to choose between work and their own health needs or the well-being of their children and other family members.

The Fight for $15 will make sure workers can earn a living wage of $15 an hour, so they can make ends meet and feed their families.

The Fair Share Amendment will invest in quality public schools, affordable higher education, and a transportation system that works by creating an additional tax of four percentage points on annual income above one million dollars.

Our Story

In 2013, Raise Up Massachusetts was formed when coalitions that were working to raise the minimum wage and guarantee earned sick time for Massachusetts workers decided to join forces. Throughout 2013 and 2014, more than 150 organizations and hundreds of grassroots volunteers collected more than 350,000 signatures to put minimum wage and earned sick time on the ballot.

Governor Patrick Signs Minimum wage legislation, 2014.

In June 2014, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed legislation raising the minimum wage from $8 to $11 over three years, avoiding the need for a ballot question. Raise Up Massachusetts then led the campaign to ensure access to earned sick time for all workers in the Commonwealth by passing Question 4 in November 2014. After gaining support from over 250 community organizations, religious groups, labor unions, businesses, and civic leaders, Question 4 passed with a nineteen point margin of victory.

Since then, Raise Up Massachusetts has been campaigning for Paid Family and Medical Leave, a $15 Minimum Wage, and the Fair Share Amendment. We collected more than 157,000 signatures and won two votes by the full state Legislature needed to place the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2018 ballot. This fall, we’re collecting signatures to put Paid Family and Medical Leave and a $15 minimum wage on the ballot as well, while continuing campaigns for both issues in the Legislature. In 2018, we’ll make a final push to pass our legislation by the end of June, and then a ballot campaign would begin next July and end on Election Day, November 6, 2018.

Our Members

Raise Up Massachusetts is a grassroots coalition of community organizations, religious groups, and labor unions committed to building an economy that works for all of us. If your organization is interested in joining Raise Up Massachusetts, please contact info@raiseupma.org.